Posted on Jul 9, 2016
Air Force Selects First Enlisted Airmen for Pilot Training Since WWII
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HAMPTON -- The Air Force has chosen 10 enlisted airmen to begin training as pilots for the first time since World War II.
The airmen were selected as part of a program that will allow them to fly the RQ-4 Global Hawk, an unmanned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.
Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions are the most requested by combatant commanders around the world and demand for remotely piloted aircraft, or RPAs, will likely only increase, according to the Air Force.
"In the future, RPAs may act as wingmen to manned aircraft," Capt. Trisha Guillebeau said in an email to The Virginian-Pilot.
The Air Force has not released the identities of the first airmen selected for the program or where they are based.
By 2020, the Air Force wants about 70 percent of day-to-day Global Hawk missions to be flown by about 100 enlisted pilots with leadership positions filled by officers. The Air Force plans to use what it learns flying Global Hawks with enlisted aircrews to inform whether a similar approach is applied to other weapons systems, Guillebeau said.
"It is too soon to speculate on any expansion of enlisted aircrew beyond the RQ-4 program," she said.
The enlisted airmen will begin training in October and are expected to graduate in 2017. Nomination packages for the next class are due in November.
The airmen will first learn to fly a traditional aircraft -- the DA-20 Falcon -- in Pueblo, Colo., before advancing to classes in remotely piloted aircraft fundamentals and Global Hawk Basic Qualification Training at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, and Beale Air Force Base, Calif., respectively.
"There has never been a doubt that our enlisted corps could step up and accomplish this mission for our Air Force," Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody said in a statement. "We'll certainly see that as the first enlisted airmen go through the training. They will set the tone for the future of the RPA enterprise."
From 1912 to 1957, nearly 3,000 enlisted men served as pilots. Of those, 11 achieved the rank of general officer, 17 became flying aces and more than 150 were killed in action.
Those who make it through the Global Hawk program will either join the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron at Beale Air Force Base or the 348th Reconnaissance Squadron at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.
@SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas , Capt Christopher Mueller , CPT (Join to see) , COL Mikel J. Burroughs , Sgt Joe LaBranche , SSgt (Join to see), TSgt Hunter Logan Capt Seid Waddell SrA Christopher Wright LTC Stephen F. PO2 Ed C. PO2 Mark Saffell MSG Tom Earley PVT James Strait Alan K. @po1 william "chip" PO1 William "Chip" Nagel @SGT John McConnell SGT John " Mac " McConnell
The airmen were selected as part of a program that will allow them to fly the RQ-4 Global Hawk, an unmanned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.
Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions are the most requested by combatant commanders around the world and demand for remotely piloted aircraft, or RPAs, will likely only increase, according to the Air Force.
"In the future, RPAs may act as wingmen to manned aircraft," Capt. Trisha Guillebeau said in an email to The Virginian-Pilot.
The Air Force has not released the identities of the first airmen selected for the program or where they are based.
By 2020, the Air Force wants about 70 percent of day-to-day Global Hawk missions to be flown by about 100 enlisted pilots with leadership positions filled by officers. The Air Force plans to use what it learns flying Global Hawks with enlisted aircrews to inform whether a similar approach is applied to other weapons systems, Guillebeau said.
"It is too soon to speculate on any expansion of enlisted aircrew beyond the RQ-4 program," she said.
The enlisted airmen will begin training in October and are expected to graduate in 2017. Nomination packages for the next class are due in November.
The airmen will first learn to fly a traditional aircraft -- the DA-20 Falcon -- in Pueblo, Colo., before advancing to classes in remotely piloted aircraft fundamentals and Global Hawk Basic Qualification Training at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, and Beale Air Force Base, Calif., respectively.
"There has never been a doubt that our enlisted corps could step up and accomplish this mission for our Air Force," Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody said in a statement. "We'll certainly see that as the first enlisted airmen go through the training. They will set the tone for the future of the RPA enterprise."
From 1912 to 1957, nearly 3,000 enlisted men served as pilots. Of those, 11 achieved the rank of general officer, 17 became flying aces and more than 150 were killed in action.
Those who make it through the Global Hawk program will either join the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron at Beale Air Force Base or the 348th Reconnaissance Squadron at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.
@SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas , Capt Christopher Mueller , CPT (Join to see) , COL Mikel J. Burroughs , Sgt Joe LaBranche , SSgt (Join to see), TSgt Hunter Logan Capt Seid Waddell SrA Christopher Wright LTC Stephen F. PO2 Ed C. PO2 Mark Saffell MSG Tom Earley PVT James Strait Alan K. @po1 william "chip" PO1 William "Chip" Nagel @SGT John McConnell SGT John " Mac " McConnell
Air Force Selects First Enlisted Airmen for Pilot Training Since WWII
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was the selection diverse? need 50 female,
25 percent minority and 25 percent LGBT or this will become another hot bed for diversity
25 percent minority and 25 percent LGBT or this will become another hot bed for diversity
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SSgt John Berry
PO2 Thomas OKeefe - No kidding, but what makes an officer with a degree in botony more qualified to learn the job of flying those other aircraft than say a straight A high school student enlisted man or woman?
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Lt Col (Join to see)
MSgt Alvin A. - the sarcasm was not about pilots being enlisted...it was about diversity
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MSgt Alvin A.
The Military is NOT about DIVERSITY; it is about ABILITY. In the USAF, not every Officer gets to be a Pilot. Some just can't pass the mustard. Some cannot multi-task, some cannot see the colors inside the cockpit, and some can't handle the G-ratio's required to be able to spin in a plane and not pass out. You are never going to make the military BLACK enough, Mexican enough, Spaniard enough, or Thai enough... I left some out, and I wasn't disparaging anyone. You are going to give up your SLOTS to Enlisted members with a smile, and you are going to stop the protectionism as an Officer Corps. If you don't... YOU WILL NOT ADVANCE.
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I'm gonna go ahead and say you don't need a college degree to play video games. Nor should one receive a medal for playing video games. That's just my outspoken and obnoxious opinion.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
Virtual flying only requires a minimum of technical knowledge and situational awareness.
While I only have 8 hours of dual instruction in Robinson R-22/44 in my logbook, I got on my flight sim (Fly! II) and virtually flew a Bell 407 (certified realistic by Bell Helicopters Textron for that flight sim using "Realistic Mode") from LaGuardia International Airport to Key West International Airport using GPS. Now granted I didn't have to talk to any ATC entroute, but that is not a critical skill either if you are flying below 1500' AGL.
You DO need the basic skills to fly an aircraft, but with adequate ground school and a few hours of stick time, most people can "get it." I have a college degree and that doesn't have ANYTHING to do with aircraft flight skills.
While I only have 8 hours of dual instruction in Robinson R-22/44 in my logbook, I got on my flight sim (Fly! II) and virtually flew a Bell 407 (certified realistic by Bell Helicopters Textron for that flight sim using "Realistic Mode") from LaGuardia International Airport to Key West International Airport using GPS. Now granted I didn't have to talk to any ATC entroute, but that is not a critical skill either if you are flying below 1500' AGL.
You DO need the basic skills to fly an aircraft, but with adequate ground school and a few hours of stick time, most people can "get it." I have a college degree and that doesn't have ANYTHING to do with aircraft flight skills.
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MSG (Join to see)
SSG(P) (Join to see) - I was referring to the fact that we don't need to waste an officer who could be flying a real plane. An enlisted man can handle the job!
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I've always been under the impression that commissioning pilots was largely a retention tool. Commissioning requires 4-6 more years of service at a minimum. It also keeps the DOD competitive against the private sector for pay. Imagine if an E5 pilot can make 2-3 times in the private sector what they do as enlisted troop. Some will stay for intangible reasons, but I think we'll have the same retention issues that we have with junior Officers. I think a better option would be to create a Warrant Officer Corps.
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Maj Michael Spehar
You've got it backwards, CPT. Commissioning gives you a chance to advance from rank to rank. Training, especially high end training followed by assignment to the specialty, is what accrues additional commitment. You can bet that any E5 making the cut for this is going to be asked to sign on an additional 4-5 year commitment.
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SrA Patrick Conaway
Same could be said of several enlisted occupations. Almost any 1Nx can get out at 4 years & easily make 2-3x their salary after attending 2yrs of training, 1yr of OJT, 1 year of actual production.
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Sgt Mark Eaton
David M. - I was in-processed to Edwards by USAF's last WO in 1975. They mentioned him in orientation briefing to avoid confusion!
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